Viral infections have been associated with the initiation and exacerbations often observed
with autoimmune disease. Mechanisms by which viruses may play a role in the development
of autoreactive immune responses include polyclonal activation of B and T cells, molecular
mimicry, viral infection of immune cells, exposure of sequestered antigens, or altered host
cell expression (neoantigen or altered self) in virus infected host cells. We have been
studying the immune response generated to self proteins in association with viral infection …